My Best Friend
by Dally's Stalker
Summary: This is the story of a girl who was in love with her best friend. He didn't know, because she didn't want to ruin their friendship. But will she be able to keep this secret to herself? Will she end up telling the world? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**My Best Friend**

**AN: I'm BACK! Yes! Another Outsiders story is here! I had all these plans, but I just screwed them up, because I wanted to start some new stories first. Anyways... On with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the Outsiders. Because if I did, my name would be S. E. Hinton, now wouldn't it?**

My Best Friend

Okay, now this may sound weird, but I'm in love with my best friend. He's so great. Funny, nice, quite the riot. I can't ever get enough of him. He's just so... perfect. Although he tends to be piss-drunk at times, he is still hilarious. My heart beat quickens when we come in contact. I just can't help it. I have to admit it though, I had never really _wanted _to fall for him. It just sort of happened. It's not like I just saw him on the street one day and thought he was hot. No, it was nothing like that.

I've been friends with him and the rest of the gang for years now. Me and him have been so close for so long. It's hard to ever catch one of us without the other. We're basically inseperable. We're always joking around together and having a good time. That's the type of people we are. We don't give a damn about anything other than our friends. That's what we live for; our friends. I can tell you right now that I wouldn't be who I am if I wasn't friends with the gang. I can truely say that they mean the most to me in life, if not everything.

Right at this very moment, I'm sitting next to him in our seats at the Double. The whole gang is here. We're watching another one of those beach movies. I think I've seen this one before, but I'm not really paying attention to that. He is the only thought in my mind. I shudder, because it is chillier than I had expected it to be when I left my house earlier.

He distinctively puts his arm around me, "Is that better?"

"Yes," I say. "It's a lot better."

Now, rather than freezing, I'm melting in his arms. Oh yes, I am a whole lot better now. I look up at him. He sips his Coke and stares tentively at the big movie screen. My heart is doing a big drum solo, because he looks so hansome. He always does, but in this light he looks almost angel-like. I sigh.

I'm in love with my best friend.

I'm in love with Two-Bit Mathews.

**I know, I know. It's a short start. The chapters to come shall be longer. Soo.. Did you like it? Love it? Think it's okay? Hate it? Want me to suffer for such a short chapter? Or are you just confused and not sure what in the world is going on?**

**Please tell me in a long review. I like long reviews. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**My Best Friend**

**AN: Sorry that it took me forever! I really am sorry. I just got so caught up with everything and.. Well, here it is! The 2nd chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Who I Am

Yes, I am in love with Two-Bit Mathews.

There's just this thing that draws me to him. And I'm just so comfortable around him. I'm in love! Simple as that, right?

Wrong.

I could never tell Two-Bit how I feel. I'd be too heart broken if he rejected me. Now, I know that if he did reject me, he'd be totally calm and nice about it. He would never try to make me feel embarrassed about it. But even if he was nice about it, I still wouldn't be able to ever face him again, and I just can't risk that. Me and Two-Bit are _friends_. We always have been and always will be. As long as I keep telling myself that, then these odd and stupid feelings should go away.

Hopefully.

I've lived in Tulsa my whole life. I've always lived in the same house, the one that is two houses down from Two-Bit's. We've known each other since we could crawl. Our mom's are good friends, and we were playmates. Our mom's would take us over each other's house and we would play while they talked and gossiped and drank coffee and waited for their husbands to come home. Me and Two-Bit met the rest of the gang when we were in grade school. We would all play together at recess, getting muddy and then getting in trouble for bringing the mud into the school. That was back when we were so young and we saw no difference between the Socs and ourselves.

My mom was married to another man before she met my father. He was Irish, just like her. My mom married him when she was just 16, and he was 20. She gave up everything for him. My mom was a _Soc_ before she met him. I'm not joking. She was rich and classy and she fell in love with a sly Irishman. When my mom told her parents that she was going to marry him, her parents were totally against it. They eventually disowned her and kicked her to the curb. What ended up happening is that the Irish guy was broke, and drunk, and treated my mom badly once he found out she wasn't worth anything. My mom left him after a while. And with no money, she could barely even afford to be a Greaser.

Then she met my dad when she was 19. He came from New York and was kind of a show off. He had jet black hair that was always slicked back, and he wore a leather jacket. He was handsome and all the Greaser chicks dug him pretty good. But not my mom. She had learned her lesson from her first husband. My mom tried to stay way from my dad, but he just wouldn't let her be. Finally she gave in and went steady with him. Then after quite a while, they got married and had me, Rosemary.

I have my mom's orange hair and my dad's olive eyes. I'm pale and I have freckles that scatter among my face and body. I'm pretty average after that. I know a lot of kids that don't have both parents or any parents at all. I know kids that barely ever talk to their parents. I guess I'm pretty fortunite. Both my parents are at home and I get along pretty good with them and they get along with each other.

Another thing that makes me and Two-Bit close friends is that when his dad left him and his mom, I was there for him. My mom would comfort his mom during the day when Two-Bit and I were watching TV in his living room, but Two-Bit wouldn't show any emotion while our parents were around. He'd come to my backyard and then we'd walk to the lot and just sit there and talk and he'd let everything out. After that, our friendship became stronger than ever. We tell each other everything. We have something special.

And that's why I don't want to tell Two-Bit that I'm in love with him. I don't wanna ruin out special bond. We're beyond friends. And if I tell him everything will change. I don't want anything to change, not for the worse, anyway.

What do I do in this situation?

I'm trying to save my friendship.

But I'm also keeping secrets from my very best friend.

All I know is that this won't ever end well.


	3. Chapter 3

1**My Best Friend**

**AN: You have no idea how truly sorry I am for making all you lovely readers wait so long for this chapter! Sorry! I blame school. As always. Well, on with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: don't own it.**

Chapter 3

I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I glanced at the clock for the 50th time in the last 20 minutes. Just five more minutes until the bell rang and I was out of this place for the whole summer.

Of course, Geometry always made it seem like a whole year passed before the bell even rang. Ugh. I hate this class. Today was the last day I would ever have to even look at the word Geometry again. I smiled at the thought. No more Mr. Harrison. No more of his stupid teaching of his stupid Geometry class. What a relief!

I turned my head to my left and saw Two-Bit picking on some Socs. I laughed a little in my head. Two-Bit always made me laugh and smile. Always. Even the sight of him made me smile. I sighed for the billionth time today.

I shook my head in attempt to get all the mushy thoughts of Two-Bit out of my head. He was my _friend_. He doesn't even think of me as anything more than his best friend. That was all we were and all we'd ever be. I sighed again as my heart suck a little. _Stop!_ _This isn't right! I shouldn't think of my best friend this way. _

_... Should I?_

_No. No I shouldn't. Of course not. Everyone knows that nothing but heartache and lost friendships comes out of dating your friend. _

_... Does that count for best friends too?_

_What am I saying?! Of course it does! It's probably ten times worse when it's your best friend!_

_And what would I do without Two-Bit?_

That thought made my heart sink to my stomach.

Life without Two-Bit?

That was one thought that was impossible to even think about.

I looked at the clock again.

Three more minutes.

I was almost out.

I jiggled my leg in anticipation.

Summer would be a blast.

Hanging out with Two-Bit, and the gang all day.

Going to the Dingo with Two-Bit. And the gang.

Going to the Double. With Two-Bit.

... And the gang, of course.

I wiped my forehead again. I t was such a hot day. Sitting in this classroom was no good.

I looked over at Mr. Harrison.

He was practically dozing off. I took the opportunity to walk over to the window and sit on the ledge. Oh, the breeze felt good. I smiled to myself once again.

"Well, I'll be dogged! It's hot as Hades in here!" I heard someone yell. I grinned and chuckled. Two-Bit had to be the most lively, funniest, most charming guy I'd ever meet.

He suddenly jumped up on the ledge next to me.

"What's shakin' Mary?"

"Except for sweatin' my ass off and bein' in this hell hole? Not a lot."

"I figured that much. Whadaya doin' tonight?"

"Nothing yet. Why? What's up for tonight?"

"Me and the fellas are gunna catch a movie at the Double. You in."

"You better bet your dog-gone ass on it!" We both laughed a little.

"You know, I'm startin' to think my mom was right about you."

"What do ya mean?"

"Nothin. She said I was a bad influence on you is all."

"Really? She said that?"

Yeah. But I put her straight."

"Huh?"

"I told her that she had it all wrong. It was the other way around!" Two-Bit slapped his thigh in laughter.

"Why you!" I playfully slapped his arm and joined in on the laughter.

And then the moment I had been waiting for since the beginning of the year finally happened.

The bell rang.

I jumped off the window ledge and scurried over to the desk to grab my books then pushed my way out of the classroom.

As I left, I heard Mr. Harrison try to tell us to do all our summer homework and behave and all that shit. I laughed at his attempt and headed through the loud and crowded hallway full of excited teens.

"Well, this year wasn't all that bad," Two-Bit said as we tried to make our way out of the wretched school building.

"How can you tell if it was any different than the ones before it?" I asked.

Two-Bit put his arm around my shoulder. He had been doing it a lot lately. And I sure wasn't complaining.

"Well, just look at it this way, one more year to go, and we're out of here for good."

"Yeah, well that's one year too many," I said. "I want out now. I wish I could drop out."

"Now, you know your mama and old man would never go for that."

"Yeah, I know," I said, a little disgruntled. "It was just a thought is all."

"I don't see what's so bad about high school anyway. It's not so bad."

"Yeah, you sure do seem to like it. Hell, you've been here more years than required!"

"Oh ha, ha, ha. You think that's funny, don't ya? Well, get over here and I'll show you funny!"

"No!" I screeched as I pushed my way away from Two-Bit and out the main doors.

The fresh air and the cool breeze felt so good that I forgot what I was running from.

Before I know it, Two-Bit grabbed a hold of me.

"No, no, no! Don't!" I pleaded.

"Hey, Pony! Johnny! Come give me a hand, will ya?"

I saw the two boys walk over with grins wore on their faces.

"Guys! Please! I didn't mean it! No!"

But begging wasn't going to work.

Pony and Johnny took me from Two-Bit they all started to tickle me.

I laughed and laughed and tried to beg in between.

"Holler Uncle," Two-Bit said.

"Uncle! Uncle!"

The boys stopped tickling me and all laughed.

"You're too easy," Two-Bit said.

I was. I hated to be tickled.

"Shuddup," I said and I elbowed him in the rib cage.

The four of us started to head home, and all I could think about was how amazing the summer would be.

**AN: How was it? Let me know, please. :) **


	4. Chapter 4

1**My Best Friend**

**So sorry that this has taken so long to get on here, but I had it all typed and everything, but then my older brother X'd it out before I saved it. :'( I was destroyed. So, I have finally written it once again. I know it won't be as good as the first time I wrote it, since it came all out of my head (I didn't write it down anywhere else), so please bare with me here.**

**Disclaimer: see all other disclaimers, duh.**

Two-Bit and I made our way to the Double. We walked so slowly, we must have looked as if we waiting for trouble to come our way. We weren't in a rush to get the Double. It isn't as if they were gunna show anything we hadn't seen a thousand times before. That was the problem with all those films. Different movie, same story. It was all about the happy life, a life that no one I knew would ever experience, let alone myself. It was all a bunch of bull shit acting. It had no real feeling. It was all fake.

Two-Bit held a bottle of whiskey. It was already half empty. I wasn't much of a drinker at all. I couldn't be. Who would make sure Two-Bit didn't pass out on the street or on someone's yard? Plus, if I got drunk, who knows what I would do? I wasn't planning on ever finding out. That's why three swigs was my limit.

"Hey Rosey?" Two-Bit said.

"Yeah, Two-Bit?"

"What are you gunna do when you get out?"

"Huh?" I didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Well, I was thinkin about how you wanna get out of high school so badly. I mean, what's the rush to get out? What's gunna be waiting for you when you get out?"

_You_. That's what I wanted to tell him. _I want to spend my life with you._

"Well, I don't know. College is out of the question. Maybe I can move somewhere nice. Where nobody hates me because I'm a Greaser. Shoot, maybe somewhere where the people don't even know what Greasers or Socs are. Maybe I'll be married, have a few kids."

"But what if that doesn't work out for you?" Two-Bit asked. "Hell, what am I sayin? You're gunna get everything you want, Rose Mary."

I took the whiskey and took my second swig.

He continued, "I have nothing waiting for me. What the Hell am I gunna do when I get out of highschool? I won't have a job. No one in there right mind would hire a slacker like me. When I graduate, it'll be like summer break. No school, just hanging around all the time with you and the guys... But then when school starts again, most the guys won't be around anymore. Ponyboy and Johnny will be back in there. Sodapop and Steve will be working. Dally will be... where ever he usually is. Darry will be working too, of course. And what's that leave me with? Nothing. I'll be walking around town, looking to steal stuff and get into fights. So what's the big rush to get out of there when you don't got nothing to do with your life after that?"

"Is that why you did junior year three times?" I asked. I now understood why Two-Bit didn't seem all too happy about graduating next year.

"Yeah. You could say that."

"You know, Two-Bit, you were wrong," I told him.

"Bout what?"

"That you won't have anything after high school. You'll have me."

Two-Bit laughed and staggered a little. He put his arm around my shoulder for the second time today.

"Well, I guess you're right," He passed the bottle of whiskey to me.

I took my third and final swig of the night. Two-Bit still had quite a bit to finish off.

I had to help Two-Bit get through the hole in the fence. He was laughing up a storm, laughing so hard that he could barely walk on his own. As I helped him stand up, he dropped the now empty whiskey bottle, which smashed on the concrete. Two-Bit just stared at it for a while, and then proceeded to laugh as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

Two-Bit stooped by a car and said, "Hey baby, wanna see what's hangin?" he grabbed his... privates and laughed.

"C'mon, lets find the guys," I said, trying to get him to keep moving.

He leaned on me for support, as I tried to find to Pony, Johnny and Dally.

As we passed a girl leaning in the window of a car, chatting with her friends, Two-Bit lifted her skirt.

She turned around and slapped him, saying, "Get off me, you filthy greaser!"

"Two-Bit!" I yelled as I pulled him away. He just cracked up.

Finally, I spotted Johnny and Ponyboy, sitting with two girls. Two-Bit saw them too, because as soon as we got close, he grabbed Johnny and yelled something, trying to scare them. The girl next to him started to laugh little.

That was all Two-Bit needed.

"Where's Dal?" I asked.

"Yeah, where is Dally?" a voice behind us said.

We all turned around to see Tim Shepard.

"He left, Tim," Pony told him.

"Hey, I know he slashed my tires," Tim said.

"Look, he already left Tim. Have any of you seen Dally?" Ponyboy winked for us to go along with it.

"No," we all said.

"Yeah, well I'll be lookin for him."

With that, Tim left.

"Dally got a blade?" Two-Bit asked. That seemed to sober him up a bit.

"I don't think so," Johnny said.

"Good deal. Tim'll fight fair long as he don't."

I now recognized the two girls. They were Socs that we went to school with. Cherry Valance and her girlfriend Marsha. They were high class Socs that couldn't give a damn about any Greaser.

"Ponyboy, come get some soda and popcorn with me?" Cherry asked.

"Anybody else want some?" Pony asked as he got up.

"I do," said Marsha.

"Yeah," Two-Bit said. "And get Mary and Johnny some too. I'm buying."

"Here, I'll go with you," Johnny said.

While Johnny, Ponyboy and Cherry went off the get the refreshments, I was stuck sittin there next to Two-Bit, while he sweet-talked Marsha.

I crossed my arms over my chest and pretended to be focused on the screen where the men surfed the ocean.

He was talking to her all slyly, rubbing her shoulder. She giggled a lot and answered sweetly.

I tightened my jaw. I was angry. She wasn't even blonde! And she was a SOCS, for God's sake!

Truth was, I was real jealous of Marsha. Why couldn't that be me? Why couldn't I be the owner of the shoulder he was rubbing? Why couldn't it by my ear that was tickled by his warm breath as he whispered in my ear?

I was starting to get a little emotional, I guess, because when Johnny and the others came back to their seats, Johnny asked, "Rose Mary, are you crying?"

"No, no. Something blew in my eye. Listen, I... I gotta split," I said

"Why?" Two-Bit asked, finally pulling his attention away from Marsha.

"I just don't wanna be here no more is all."

I got out of there quickly.

When I got home, I found my parents sitting on the couch in front of the television.

"Movie's over already?" my dad asked.

"Yeah, you could say that."

I kept walking to my bedroom.

"Good night, hun..." My mom said, a bit worriedly.

I went straight to my tiny room and slipped out of my clothes and into a big t-shirt, one of my dad's old ones. It was red, and it had a moth hole on the right shoulder.

I got into my twin sized bed and buried myself under the quilt my mother made when I was a kid. After a while, I fell into a slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

1**My Best Friend**

**AN: Yikes! I realize that I haven't updated in about a month, and I apologize so very much. The days have seemed to go by quickly, and I just can't seem to find any time to update this story. Plus, I had some writer's block on my other story, so I decided to write two others, which are finished. I fear that at the rate that I'm going, it'll have over a year to finish this! **

**OH! And I thank ThBlckParadeXx for the clarification on the name. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own Rosemary, her family, the plot, and nothing else.**

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

I woke up with my eyes feeling as if they were plastered together. I rubbed away the sand left by the Sandman himself, and reached around on the night stand for the alarm clock. It was hard to see the hands in the dark, but I didn't dare turn on the light and strain my restless eyes.

It seemed to be about 2:40, or around that time at least.

_Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap-Tap._

Is that what woke me?

I turn to my window, where the impatient tapping is coming from, and am startled to see Two-Bit's head at the bottom of the window.

I get up and tug down my night shirt, attempting to make it longer. It only goes to mid-thigh.

I quietly walk over to the window, careful not to step on a creaky board. I don't want my parents to wake up at this hour. Hell, I don't even want to wake up at this hour. Leave it to Two-Bit to ruin that.

I open up the window slowly. It seems that everything in this house makes noise.

"What are you doing here?" I hiss at him quietly.

"I had to see you. Can I come in? It's cold out here," I can still smell the whiskey on his breath.

"Yeah. Be quiet though. My parents are asleep," I warn him.

He somehow manages to lift himself up through the window with a minimal amount of noise.

"What do you want?" I ask. I'm still a bit bitter about the movies. Damn that Marcia.

"Listen, I know you were upset about something at the movies. I know it had something to do with me, and I'm sorry for whatever I did," he said as he sat on my mattress.

What was I supposed to do? Tell him that I was pissed off that he flirted with Marcia, instead of me?

"Yeah, it's okay," I lied.

"That's it?" Two-Bit asks, seeming surprised.

"Uh, yeah?" I answer back.

"You're not even going to tell me what I'm sorry for?"

"Oh, that. Uhm... I wasn't really upset, I was just a bit irritated, you know, because of those Soc girls. Can't they go and buy some friends instead of hanging around with a bunch of greasers?" I said with a tad of snootiness. I blushed, knowing I sounded like a brat.

"They were just looking to get away from they're boyfriends is all. When we left, a couple of guys came to get them. We almost fought," he explained.

I was about to comment on that, when Two-Bit quickly continued.

"I got that girl's number," he said.

I knew he meant Marcia.

"Oh," I said curtly as I sat on the other end of the bed.

Damn Marcia. Damn her to Hell. A poor hell, at that.

"I threw it away on the way here," he said.

I looked up at him. Was he for real?

"Why? I mean, she's a pretty, rich, upper-class girl. What guy wouldn't bag her?"

"That's exactly it. She ain't interested in a low-life like me. Maybe she had as much to drink as I did, or something. Sure, she's kinda cute, but she's not my type," he said.

"Two-Bit, girl is your type. Plus, compared to me, she's beautiful."

"See, that's your problem, Rosemary. You always put yourself down like that. That girl is in no way any prettier than you are. You're actually better than her. You're pure and honest. She'll never have that."

"Pure?" I laughed a little, trying to hide the nervousness and shivers that was taking over my insides.

"Yeah. You know... you're not a tramp or a tease or anything..."

"Oh, and who says that I'm not a virgin? Maybe some guy did the deed long ago."

"Oh, please," he said with a snort.

I frowned.

"What, so no guy would do me? Thanks," I said and I lay down on the bed, not facing him.

"I'm going to try and get some more sleep now. You can leave now," I tell him.

I feel the bed shift, but it's not from Two-Bit getting up to leave. He's laying beside me.

"I want to stay," he whispered in my ear.

I didn't answer. It was hard to say anything with this weird feeling in my stomach. It was so strong, it had never been like that before.

"I didn't mean it that way, you know," Two-Bit said quietly. "What I meant was that you aren't like the other girls, Rosey. You're different. You don't put yourself out there for all the guys to drool over you, and you don't act like you have experience that you don't."

"But how do you know I don't have any?" I asked. Was it really so obvious that I was a virgin?

"I just know," Two-Bit chuckled at my confused face.

"Two-Bit, if you don't tell me, I'll never quit bothering you about it," I threatened.

"Well, you're self conscious, for one. And there's also this," he said with a wild grin.

I was confused for a moment until I felt a hand on my knee.

I shivered under his touch.

His hand very slowly slithered it's way up to the inside of my thigh, entering under my night shirt.

He looked me in the eyes. It was a look that I had never seen him give me, or anyone else, for that matter.

Maybe it was the lighting, but I could feel something from him, not just the feeling of fluttering and awkwardness that his gave was giving off, but something else. I didn't know what it was, but I knew I felt it, and wondered if he felt it too.

His hand was up far now, and I found it very hard not to flinch from his touch.

My breathing was shaky, and I hoped that he didn't notice.

His thumb was moving in circles right at the edge of the lining of my underwear.

What do I do? What is _he_ going to do?

I found myself curious as to how far this would go. What was he going to do now?

"So, am I a virgin?" I heard myself ask him.

"I don't know," he sounded a little puzzled.

He removed his hand and I let out a sigh, half of relief and the other of disappointment.

"I guess that your test has failed you," I said with a triumphant smile.

"Maybe," he said back. "Or maybe you've just gotten around town a few times without me ever finding out."

I looked shocked and he laughed a little.

"You know very well that I'm not a whore like some of those other Greaser chicks out there," I said defensively.

"Rosemary, I know that better than anyone else out there."

He pulled me close and kissed my forehead. He let his lips stay there and eventually, I fell back asleep in his arms.

The next morning, I woke up to the unpleasant sound of my mom yelling for me to wake up to have breakfast.

I could hear her on the other side of my door, but I was too groggy to answer.

Suddenly, my door flew open, and in walked my mom, who gasped when she saw the sight before her. She then walked out of my small room shouting for my dad.

I didn't quite know what was going on until I looked to my side, and saw why my mom had reacted the way she did.

There I was, laying in bed with only a shirt (which had somehow worked it's way up to my hips in my sleep) and underwear, with Two-Bit.

Two-Bit seemed to have misplaced the majority of his clothing during the night, for his leather jacket was across the room, his shirt was nowhere to be seen, and I could feel his jeans at the end of the bed.

Suddenly, as I heard my dad's footsteps down the hall, and I jumped up to cover myself and Two-Bit. I shook Two-Bit a little, but he didn't budge.

It wasn't until my dad started to yell that Two-Bit woke up, startled.

In fact, he was so startled, that he jumped out of the bed.

I put my head in my hands and bowed my head as my dad got even more furious by Two-Bit's nearly naked-ness.

After about fifteen minutes of being yelled at, my dad told Two-Bit to get his clothes on, that they were going to walk over to Two-Bit's house and that he was going to explain to her what had happened.

I felt sorry for Two-Bit. My dad usually was kind, and he was actually sort of fond of Two-Bit.

Now, my father didn't get angry often, but that's what made it even scarier when he did.

Two-Bit quickly pulled on his pants and looked around for his shirt. I could see a smile playing on his lips. He found this all funny. I couldn't believe it!

He finally found the shirt, which had somehow made it's way on my side of the bed, and then grabbed his jacket and walked out of the house with my father.

After they walked out of the house was when I first dared to speak.

"Mom, I swear, we didn't do anything! You know I wouldn't do that!"

"I didn't know that you and Keith would sleep practically naked together either, Rosemary, but you did that. Who knows what else you two did! Honestly, I didn't think you were so irresponsible. Don't you have any decency?" my mother said.

I felt my eyes weld up with tears.

Is that what my own mom thought of me?

"Mom, do you hear yourself? I'm your own damn kid! I'm not some random tramp off of the streets! All we did was sleep. I'm a goddamned virgin, Mom! We're best friends, that's all. Two-Bit doesn't like me like I... We're just friends, nothing else. Sure, he might have slept with girls before, but he wouldn't... He didn't, Mom.."

I was sobbing.

My mom's stone eyes softened and she sits next t me on my bed, rubbing my back.

"You love him, don't you?" she asked with a smile.

I sniffled a little, "Is it that obvious?"

She laughed a little and continued, "Trust me, a mother always knows when her daughter is in love. I should have seen it before. Oh, I'm sorry for what I said. I overreacted, I guess. I should have known you wouldn't do anything right here in your own bed with Keith," she said.

I looked at her strangely. What exactly was she saying?

"Not," she quickly explained, "that you should do anything in any other bed."

I laughed at the frightened look on her face.

I wiped my wet cheeks with the back of my hand and hugged my mom.

"It doesn't matter anyway, Mom. He doesn't like me."

"Does he know how you feel?"

"Oh God, no! Mom, how could I tell him? He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember! What if I tell him that I love him and he freaks out? What if I lose him as a friend?"

I felt my heart sink at the thought of it.

"Rosemary, the only way love works is if you take chances, not knowing what the outcome might be."

I heard the porch door swing open and my father's footsteps coming towards us from down the hall.

"What's going on now, Ava?" my father asked my mother.

My mother smiled widely before giving her answer.

"Jason, our daughter is in love."

**Okay, that's it for now. Once again, so sorry for how long this is taking to finish. Tell me what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

**My Best Friend**

**AN: Ahhh, I'm a terrible person! Sorry, once again, for taking forever.**

It was two in the afternoon and I hadn't seen Two-Bit since the incident earlier this morning.

After having that talk with my mom, I realized that I had to do something about my feelings for Two-Bit, I really did.

I couldn't just pine for Two-Bit forever.

What was I going to do, take this secret with me to my grave and always have to wonder what could have been?

No way I could do that.

I could never live with myself if I didn't do this.

I had to take action, I had to tell him how much I loved him.

I kept pacing up and down the hallway until my dad finally got fed up with hearing the creaking over and again.

I had settled myself in a chair at the kitchen table, my foot shaking like crazy.

How do I tell him?

"_Hey there, Two-Bit, old buddy, old pal! I have some news! I love you to death!"_

No.

No way in Hell.

"_Well, Two-Bit, I'd like to just say that I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember."_

Okay, that one will just scare him.

"_Two-Bit— Marry me?"_

Ha-ha. What a laugh.

Oh, I just know that this will ruin my life forever.

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the negative thoughts.

Everything will work out fine.

Even if Two-Bit doesn't feel the same way for me, we'll still be friends.

He's known me for years, he wouldn't just up and leave me over a stupid thing like me confessing my love to him.

Oh god, I hope I'm right.

I took what seemed like a thousand deep breaths before getting up and walking out the door and into the bright sunlight that warmed my skin and comforted me.

It was now or it was never.

I knew where to find Two-Bit.

He was either out and about looking for trouble, or he was at the Curtis' house.

Judging by the hot weather, I took my bet on the Curtis' house.

It wasn't too far of a walk to get there, but I took my time.

Boy, did I ever take my time.

It seemed as if I was walking all the way to New York, that's how long it seemed to take.

I soon decided that I would change my mind if I didn't get there soon, so I ran the rest of the way, a greaser that I recognized from my English class shouting something dirty out of his beat up car as I did so.

I was out of breath by the time I reached the Curtis' house, and I collapsed onto the couch.

Actually, I more or less collapsed onto Sodapop, rather than the couch. I stayed where I was, not bothering to get off of him. He didn't mind, Soda never did.

"Woah, you alright there Rosemary?" Sodapop asked with a dazzling smile that made all the girls swoon.

"I ran most of the way here," I told him.

I looked down at Two-Bit, who was sitting on the carpet with a beer and watching Mickey Mouse. It went to a commercial, and he turned to me.

"How much trouble did you get into?" He asked.

"Not much. Just got yelled at a bit. What'd your mom do?"

"Just yelled for a while and told me she'd wring my neck if I got you knocked up," Two-Bit said loudly with a wacky grin.

Sodapop looked stunned, and I heard choking from in the kitchen. When I peered into the other room, I saw Darry patting his chest while Johnny and Ponyboy stared at me wide-eyed.

I couldn't help but laugh nervously.

I probably would have had a real good laugh if I wasn't so terrified.

Or maybe I would have slapped Two-Bit upside the head if I wasn't here to tell him how I truly felt for him.

I gathered up my courage and cleared my throat.

"Two-Bit?"

"Yeah?" he asked. Mickey had just come back on and his eyes were glued to the television.

"I've gotta tell you something," I said uneasily.

"Hold on, this is a good part..."

"No, really..." I didn't think I could hold it in for a second longer.

"Shhh, wait a minute.."

"Two-Bit, I love you!" I shouted before I could stop myself.

All eyes were on me, except for the one set of eyes that mattered.

Two-Bit didn't even look at me. He didn't even show that he heard me.

Instead, he just laughed at whatever had happened on Mickey Mouse.

I was hurt. I could literally feel my heart being crushed, twisted, stomped on, and ripped to shreds.

Before anyone could see that my face was contoured in sadness, I fled from the scene, kicking Two-Bit as hard as I could before doing so.

As soon as I got out onto the porch, I collided with Dallas, who quickly got annoyed.

He opened his mouth to complain, but I let out a cry and then ran before he could get a word out.

As I ran, I could hear him saying, "What the hell is teh matter with that broad?"

**Dun, Dun, DUN! What's gunna happen next?**


	7. Chapter 7

**My Best Friend**

I swung open the screen door of my house and bolted to my room, slamming the door behind me and collapsing onto my bed. I burried my head into my pillow and began to sob. The fact that the pillow had Two-Bit's scent on it made matters even worse, and I cried out loud. I heard knocking on my door.

"Not now mom," I managed to say, my voice raspy.

"Honey, someone's here to see you," she said. She sounded worried.

_Two-Bit?_ I wondered. I hoped.

"Come in," I said.

To my dismay, it was not Two-Bit, but instead it was Ponyboy and Johnny standing in my doorway. They walked in, hesitantly. They weren't sure how I would react.

"Rose, are… are you alright?" Pony asked, stepping closer.

"Not really, Pony, not really," I rubbed my eyes and wiped my wet cheeks. Both of the boys sat down on either side of me, Johnny placing a concelling hand on top of my own. "Why did he have to act like that? Why did he have to humiliate me infront of everyone?"

"Aw Mary, you know how he is… All he did was make an ass out of himself by the way he treated you," Johnny said lowly.

"I knew it would be a mistake. I knew I never shoulda told him. I shoulda kept it to myself. I messed everything up so bad."

"Don't you say that," Pony said sternly. "You did nothing wrong by telling Two-Bit how you felt. Heck, that took a lot of courage to come out and say. What you did was brave and true. Don't you let anyone make you feel wrong for doing what's right in your heart."

I pulled both Pony and Johnny into a tight hug and whispered, "Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**My Best Friend**

Chapter 8

The summer was very uneventful. I couldn't bear to be around the gang, because I knew that there would be a chance of running into Two-Bit. I hadn't seen or spoken to him since the day that I had confessed my love for him. I couldn't bring myself to confronting him, and the fact that he hadn't attempted to speak to me at all said a lot about how he felt. Once in a while Pony and Johnny or Soda would stop by and say hi, but it was never for too long and it always felt forced.

My mom had suggested working to keep myself busy, and that's what I did. I ended up volunteering at the hospital. All I ever really did was organize files and paperwork. It wasn't much, but it did help to keep my mind off of things. It didn't even matter that I wasn't getting paid for it, because it wasn't as if I had anything to spend money on anyway. Other than helping me forget about Two-Bit, working also helped me make a new friend. His name was Jake, and he was helping out at the hospital, too. I had found out that Jake also went to my high school, but I never saw him there before. We helped keep each other sane while sorting through the files all summer.

And now, it was time to go back to school for my final year in that shithole. I was happy to be in the final stretch, but I also dreaded it at the same time. I was afraid of seeing Two-Bit. I was hoping that it would be possible that I never saw him throughout the day, not in the hallways or in the cafeteria or anything like that. Maybe if I kept my eyes on the ground, I'd be alright. I just knew that I wouldn't be able to face him. I was too heartbroken. Too hurt to even look at my best friend, who was now a stranger to me.

The first bell sounded and brought me back to reality. So far, so good. I was seated in homeroom and there was no sign of Two-Bit. I relaxed a little, and looked around the classroom as the teacher took attendance. There were about 20 of us, and only a handful were Greasers. It seemed that as each year in school went by, there were less and less Greasers going to school. Many of them dropped out, or got kicked out. It was sad that a lot of kids these days weren't even making it to their senior year of high school. What are they going to end up doing with their lives?

The next bell rang, and everyone scurried out of the classroom and headed to their first class.

It wasn't until 5th period that things got bad.

I was one of the first students to enter my Chemistry class. I picked a seat and sat down, staring at the door to see who else would be in class with me. I was shocked when I saw Jake enter the room, with a group of Socs.

I was completely shocked, and when Jake noticed me, I could tell by the look on his face that I wasn't what he had expected either. I wondered if he was going to say hi to me. His friends sat down, and I saw that he hesitated at first, but then sat down with them, his back to me.

My heart sunk completely. I couldn't believe that he didn't even acknowledge me at all. Not even a wave or a smile. Most of all, I couldn't believe that he's a Soc. I guess it was stupid of me to assume that he wasn't. I mean, at the hospital he didn't seem like a Greaser. We wear uniforms there, so I wasn't able to tell by his clothing, and his brown hair wasn't all greased up and slicked back. I hadn't really labeled him as a Soc or a Greaser. He had just been a _person_. But now things were different. Now I saw that he wore nice looking sweaters and khakis. I saw that he was a rich, popular Soc, and he now saw that I was just a poor, no good Greaser.

And as if matters couldn't have gotten any worse, my worst nightmare walked through that door.

Two-Bit Mathews.

As soon as I caught a mere glimpse of him, I quickly looked down at my desk, completely mortified. My heart was racing, I was so nervous. I was terrified that he would say something to me, and I sure as hell couldn't handle that. I just wanted to curl up into a ball and shut out the world.

I didn't have to look up, but I knew that he was going down the aisle to my right, and took a seat a few desks back. I was glad that he wasn't in my view, but at the same time I worried that he might be looking at me. My face flushed. My neck was stiff; I wouldn't allow my curiosity to get the better of me. I told myself that I would not look back, no matter what.

I was able to refrain from looking at Two-Bit or Jake for the remainder of the period. Instead, I focused on Mr. Richards, but I was unable to make sense of anything that was coming out of his mouth, for my mind was overflowing with thoughts. I sat there uncomfortably until the bell finally sounded. I rushed out of the classroom before anyone else.

Something told me that Chemistry would be my least favorite class, ever.

After school was finally over, I made my way to the hospital. There hadn't been any other run-ins with Two-Bit at school, thankfully, but now I knew that I would probably be seeing Jake. I sat down behind the desk and went about organizing the patient files. After a while, I heard someone clear their throat. I looked up and saw Jake standing in front of me with apologetic green eyes.

"Can I help you?" I asked sternly.

"Hey, I uh, I just wanted to apologize for earlier today…"

"Oh, you mean for being a jerk and not acknowledging me as a human being?"

"Well hey now, I was shocked. I mean, I didn't know you were—"

"A Greaser?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," Jake answered.

"You didn't really make it a point to tell me you were a Soc, either."

"That's because I had thought that you…" he trailed off.

"What? That I was one of you? Sorry, I wasn't born privileged."

"It's not like that. I was just surprised, alright?"

"So you were so shocked that you couldn't even look at me the entire period?"

Jake sighed, clearly frustrated that I was putting up a fight, "Is it really that big of a deal? I mean, we can still be friends, can't we?"

"I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation with all your friends who are football players and cheerleaders."

"Geez, Rosie, you just don't quit do you? Listen, don't worry about my friends. That's not important."

I looked at him in the eye, trying to figure out if he was being honest or not.

"So are we alright?" Jake asked with hope.

"Yeah, I guess we're alright," I answered with a smirk. Jake smiled brightly, and we continued on with our work.

A few hours went by, and it was time to leave. As I was exiting the hospital, Jake caught up with me.

"Hey, Rosie, what are you doing now?" he asked.

"I'm headed home. Why?" I asked curiously.

"Do you want a ride? It'll be getting back soon. Maybe we could grab something to eat, too." Jake suggested.

I thought about it, unsure if it was a good idea.

"Nah, I think I'll pass. Thanks though."

"Oh. Alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then," Jake said.

"Yeah, tomorrow," I replied.

I began walking home as Jake got into his car and sped off in the opposite direction.


	9. Chapter 9

**My Best Friend**

Okay, I know this took a while, and I apologize. Please bare with me, I'm a workin' college gal.. I barely have time to eat, let alone write these stories. Anyway, I know that 34 of you are going to get an alert about this chapter, so I expect feedback, people! To the very few of you that are actually going to read this, Enjoy!

Chapter 9

As I walked through the halls on Friday morning I was greeted by Johnny and Ponyboy. They were on their way to their homeroom, which happened to be across the hall from mine. We stood in the hall, casually chatting about the latest movies that were playing at the Double, and Pony relayed a funny story about Darry and Sodapop. It was nice talking to them again. I really missed hanging around with the gang. I used to be one of them, and now I barely ever saw any of the guys.

"You should come with us one night," Pony suggested.

"Huh?" I asked. I hadn't been paying attention to what he was saying, which made me feel guilty.

"Yeah, Rosemary, you should come to the diner with us sometime. You never come out anymore" Johnny said softly.

"I don't know…"

"Oh c'mon, he's not gunna be around tonight," Ponyboy said. He knew I was avoiding Two-Bit.

"Well, I guess I could go out tonight, but are you really sure he won't be there?"

"No," Johnny said. "He said he's busy tonight. There's going to be a party at Buck's."

"Alright," The bell sounded, signaling for us to go to our designated rooms. "I'll see you guys tonight."

Just like everyday since school had started, my day went perfectly fine until Chemestry rolled around. I dreaded it so much. There was no way for me to feel comfortable in that classroom, not with Two-Bit sitting nearby. I was always on edge, always nervous, my heart was always thumping loudly, and I was completely unable to pay attention to Mr. Richards. I already knew that I was probably going to flunk his class. I didn't know the first thing about Chemestry.

On a lighter note, things with Jake had gotten a little better. Instead of completely ignoring me, he would now give me a quick wave or a small grin, whenever his fellow Socs weren't looking. I wondered if he knew that I realized this, or if he even knew he was doing it himself. And I knew that even if we didn't speak at school, we'd still see each other at the hospital. Either way, I was just glad to be acknowledged by someone.

Later that night, as I was leaving the hospital, Jake offered me a ride again. This time, I decided to take it. It was pretty dark out, and I was supposed to meet Pony and Johnny in twenty minutes. Anyway, Jake was a nice enough guy, and I knew he wouldn't try anything with me

.

"You shouldn't be walking alone at night," Jake said as he started up his car and put it in drive.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

"Well, cause.."

"Cause I'm a girl or because I live in a shit neighborhood?" I cut him off.

He thought about it for a second and then answered, "Both."

I laughed, "Trust me, I know how to handle myself, it comes with the territory. Make a left up ahead"

"Sure you do, but it just isn't right. No girl should be walking alone in the dark, it's just asking for danger."

Again, I laughed. "I'm not a baby, you know. And honestly, it's the Socs I have to worry about more than the kids from my side of town."

"What do you mean?" Jake asked, confused. He slowed the car to a stop as we approached a yellow light. He turned and looked at me.

"Do you know how many times a car-full of drunken Socs will roll around our side of town, looking for a couple of Greasers to beat on? C'mon Jake, you must know it's their favorite past-time," I said with a sacrastic grin.

Jake looked deep into my eyes and I could feel the compassion as he spoke, "I would never do something like that.. You know that, right?"

I looked down, "Yeah, I guess."

"I'm serious, Rosie. Just because I'm on the football team and I'm friends with other jocks doesn't mean that I go around doing the things that they do."

I was silent. The light turned green and he looked straight ahead at the road.

"Make a right up the next street, that's where I live."

He pulled down the street and parked in front of my house.

"Well, thanks for the ride," I said as I reached for the door handle.

I felt Jake touch my arm lightly. I turned towards him and he embraced me in his arms. I was taken aback and completely paralyzed. A few seconds later he released me and I exited the vehicle without another word.

Ten minutes later I was changed and headed outside where Johnny and Ponyboy were waiting. We walked together to the diner, smiling and laughing and joking all the way there. I was so happy to be out with them, it almost felt like normal. In the diner, Steve and Sodapop were there, both with their gals. We walked over and teased them, but they made it obvious that they wanted to be left alone with their dates. We sat down at our booths, ordered our milkshakes and meals, and got to talking about everything. They updated me on how the rest of the gang was doing, how their summer went, and so on. I told them about the hospital, but left out the part about Jake. I'm not sure why, but I thought it would be best if they didn't know about me befriending a Soc. I didn't want to ruin a good night by bringing something like that up.

But, just a few minutes after our food was placed on our table, I heard the the door open, folloed by shuffling of feet and laughter. Chills went down my back. Although I wasn't facing the door, I knew that it was the distinct laugh of Dally and, by the look on Johnny's face, he wasn't alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**My Best Friend**

**AN:** So, I've found some free time to update, hooray! Just want to thank everyone who still reads my stories. The only reason I haven't given up completely is because I would feel horribly guilty for disappointing my readers. Thirty-six people have an alert for this story, and with fifty-two reviews, I think it's safe to say that this is my most successful story on here. Again, I want to say thank you, and keep the feedback comin'! Enjoy!

_Recap: __But, just a few minutes after our food was placed on our table, I heard the door open, followed by shuffling of feet and laughter. Chills went down my back. Although I wasn't facing the door, I knew that it was the distinct laugh of Dally and, by the look on Johnny's face, he wasn't alone._

Chapter 10

I wanted to escape, somehow. My eyes quickly scanned the entire diner, but there was no place to hide, nowhere to run to. The only way out was to face my fears, but I wasn't ready for that. I frantically looked from Johnny to Pony, my eyes begging them to help me, but I knew there was nothing they could do.

"Well, well, well. Look what we got here! Is that who I think it is?" I heard Dally say behind me. I didn't want to turn around. I just stared straight ahead, straight at Ponyboy.

"C'mon Dal…" Johnny said softly. Dally either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him.

Next thing I know, Dally is in my face, looking at me with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. He laughed in my face, and the smell the booze hits me hard.

"Why if it isn't lil' ol' Rosemary. Rosie Posey," he says, laughing. He takes a handful of my fries and shoves them in his mouth.

I'm completely mortified. Dally has me trapped in the booth. There's no way out.

"Hey Two-Bit! Lookit what the cat dragged in!" Dally shouted.

I finally turned around, knowing I'd have to face him no matter what. He was sitting at the counter on a stool next to a blonde with too much makeup on. He was drunk, I could tell by the look on his face and the fact that he was laughing at his own reflection in a spoon. He turned and looked at me and suddenly he stopped laughing, and the smile on his face disappeared.

"Geez Louise, what are you two doing with this broad?" He asked of Pony and Johnny.

Neither of them answered, they only looked down at their untouched food.

"Guess she's trying to get with them now since you rejected her, huh Two-Bit?" Dally said, laughing. "I guess she does a two for one special."

"Knock it off, Dal," Johnny said, a little louder.

Dally looked at him dead in the eye, "Hey, who do you think you're talking to, punk? You gunna defend this broad? You gunna fight me, huh Johnny? Huh? You ain't shit."

"Dally, c'mon now, you're drunk," Pony said, trying to reason with him. I took this as an opportunity to try to escape, climbing over Dally. I nearly got away, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me down on his lap.

"Where you think you're goin', babe? Geez, no wonder Two-Bit ditched you. You're a nobody. Ain't that right, Two-Bit?"

Two-Bit laughed, "That's right, Dal! Shoot, I like me a _real_ woman!"

He proceeded to pull the blonde into a hard kiss, grabbing her ass as he did so. When he pulled away she giggled and he smiled brightly at the lot of us. I struggled to get out of Dally's grip, threw my five dollars on the table and ran out of the diner. I heard Pony and Johnny yelling after me, but I didn't look back.

I ran across town as quickly as I could, but it was so hard with blurred vision and a heaving chest. I was crying and sobbing and I just wanted to scream. I was a couple of blocks away from my house, and I couldn't run anymore. I bent over to catch my breath for a minute before continuing to walk the rest of the way.

Why did everything have to be so horrible? Why couldn't things be easy again? Life was so simple before I went and screwed everything up. Everything was simple before I fell in love with my best friend. And now he hates me. Now I'm the bad guy. I'm the reason why everything is so complicated. Maybe Dally's right, maybe I am just a nobody.

As soon as I stepped into my house, I maneuvered my way through the dark living room and down the hall into my room. I quietly pushed my door shut and flopped on my bed, not wanting to wake my parents. I buried my head in my pillow and silently cried myself to sleep.

The next morning I woke up in a miserable mood. I just wanted to stay in bed all day and hide from the world. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to. Mom made me get up and eat cereal for breakfast. After that, I sat around and watched TV with my dad for a while. In the afternoon, Ponyboy stopped by to see how I was, and to apologize for what had happened. I didn't really want to talk to anyone, but I knew him and Johnny only meant well. They had no way of knowing that Dally and Two-Bit would stop by the diner after leaving Buck's party. They had no way of stopping the two drunken greasers. I let Pony know that I wasn't mad or upset with either him or Johnny, and he went on his way.

With nothing better to do on a Saturday, I went into the hospital an hour earlier than scheduled. Jake was already there when I arrived, sorting through paperwork. As soon as I sat down, Jake looked at me with concern.

"You okay, Rosie?" he asked.

"Yeah. Peachy," I said sarcastically.

"What's the matter?"

"Just having a bad weekend is all." I didn't want to tell him the details. He didn't need to know about my stupid problems.

"Well we'll have to fix that then. What are you doing tomorrow?" Jake asked cheerfully.

"Nothing, why?" I asked curiously.

"Why don't you come out to the lake with me?"

"I dunno…" I was surprised that he was asking me to go out with him. I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea.

"Why not? You said yourself that you don't have anything better to do. Come on, have a little fun!"

I smiled, giving in and agreeing to go with him. He was right, why should I sit around and waste away a perfectly good Sunday when I could maybe have some fun? Why mope around when I could be out enjoying life?


	11. Chapter 11

**My Best Friend**

**AN: **Here it is, another chapter. I know it's really short, but I just wanted something for you all to read so you know I haven't quit. Hope you like it, and thanks in advance for reading.

Chapter 11:

Mom woke me up at six o'clock in the morning that Sunday, probably the earliest I've ever woken up on a weekend. She and my father were getting ready to go to church, which they attended every Sunday. I didn't really believe in God or Heaven or Hell, so I stopped going to church with them when I was fourteen. Lucky for me, my parents accepted it and didn't force me to go anyway. They were good parents in that way; letting me have my space and what not.

I walked down our small hallway and into the tiny green-tiled bathroom. Jake said he would be picking me up at eight, so I wanted to make sure I would be up and ready on time. I looked in the mirror and studied my face. A few pimples on my jawline, freckles dominating my cheeks and nose… Oh boy, I really need to get a tan, too. I was so pale that you could almost see through me. I splashed some cold water on my face and lathered it up with soap, then rinsed.

I continued with my morning routine, while wondering what the day would have in store for me. It was so strange to think that I was about to spend the day with a Soc. A Greaser and a Soc being friendly, now that's just something you don't see around here too much. As I brushed my teeth and combed my hair and pulled it into a ponytail, I wondered what kind of people would be at the lake. Would it be a bunch of rich Socs? Would I be out of place? Inside, I felt my stomach twisting into knots. In the mirror, all I saw was a tough girl with empty eyes.

My father knocked on the door, "You almost done in there, honey?"

I gave up on the staring contest with the girl in the mirror and pried open the door.

"She's all yours, dad."

I returned to my room, getting out of my night shirt and changing into the only swimsuit that I own. It was a blue two-piece with small, white polka dots. It was at least two years old, but I never really went swimming anyway. I threw on a pair of worn out jean shorts and a white tank top, and I was pretty much ready.

I went out to the kitchen and poured myself a bowl of cereal with milk. My parents said good-bye, and that they hoped I had fun, and then they were on their way to church. I took my time eating my cereal, which caused it to quickly become soggy and mushy. Although I knew I was hungry, the knots in my stomach did not allow me to finish my breakfast. I felt that if I ate one more spoonful, I was going to heave all over the kitchen table. I dumped the remainder of my cereal in the toilet and flushed it down the drain. As I placed the bowl in the sink, I looked at the clock. 7:25.

I started to become antsy and nervous. What if we didn't have anything to talk about? What if it's really boring? What if he doesn't even show up? I started pacing back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. I stopped after a while, flicked on the T.V. sat on the arm of the couch. There was a cartoon on, but I didn't pay attention to it much, because I kept glancing out the window every few minutes. I turned off the T.V. and walked back into the bathroom, grabbing a beach towel. As I slipped my feet into my beat-up Chucks, I heard a horn honk. I rushed to the living room window and saw Jake's car parked outside.

My heart started beating quickly as I locked the door and walked down the steps toward his car. I opened up the car door and hopped in. As I went to fasten my seatbelt, I could have sworn I saw Two-Bit looking out his window at me, but Jake spoke and I turned my attention to him, completely forgetting about Two-Bit Matthews.


	12. Chapter 12

**My Best Friend**

**AN: **This update is long overdue. Every time I get an email from FF, it never fails to amaze me. I can't believe how many people still read and review my stories. Thank you, I really appreciate it. I wish I had more time to write and complete these stories for all of you.

Chapter 12:

"So... How did you do on that Chemistry exam?" I asked. There had been an awkward silence, and I blurted out anything to end it. I immediately regretted it. Asking about Chemistry? That was lame. I sounded like some sort of poindexter. I could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Eh, I did alright, got a 93." Jake responded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Oh, that's real good." I said softly. And the silence was back. Gosh, I couldn't understand it at all. At the hospital we talked all the time. It never felt forced like this. I was nervous, not because of Jake, but because I didn't know what to expect at the lake. That was my reason for the lack of interesting conversation, but what was Jake's?

"Jake?" I said once we hit a red light. He turned to face me now. "Am I gunna be a black sheep down by the lake?"

I had to get it out there and find out if this was what was troubling him as well.

"What?" He said, slightly laughing. "No, no! 'Course not."

He shot me one of the most wonderful smiles I've ever seen, and it almost made me believe what he was saying. We would be at the lake in about ten minutes, and I was getting more and more nervous as I watched the numbers on the odometer continue to rise.

Once we arrived, I got out of the car slowly and cautiously. I looked around, and there were a bunch of real nice cars all throughout the lot_. Shit_, I thought_, there's a whole lot of Socs here today. _Jake got the umbrella and cooler out of the back. He refused to let me help him carry anything except for his towel.

We walked down a little half-sand-half-grass path and then we were greeted by a really large lake and tons of rich families swimming and lounging. Jake set down the cooler and started to work the umbrella into the sand. He picked a spot that was quite a good distance away from anyone else, which I was thankful for. I laid out our towels in the sand. We stood there for a minute in silence, and then Jake took off his shoes and lifted his shirt over his head. I tried to play it cool, but I knew I was blushing. I averted my eyes from him and nervously started to undress. I felt so uncomfortable taking off my jean shorts in front of Jake. I knew it wasn't a big deal, it was just a bathing suit and there were tons of people around. I glanced his way as I stepped out of the shorts and caught him looking at me.

"What?" I asked defensively. I hated people staring at me.

"Nothing," he said with a grin.

"Come on, what are you smilin' at, huh?"

"Your legs… I've never seen anything so pale in my entire life," Jake chuckled. I looked down at my pasty legs in shame and embarrassment. Not reacting the way he expected, Jake quickly added, "Hey, I'm just messing with you. I don't mean it."

I glanced at him and saw a worried look on his face. He seemed afraid that I'd been offended. I smiled at him and brushed it off, "Nah, you're right. I sure need a tan." I took off my tank top and looked at Jake once again. He was looking down at the sand and scratching the back of his neck.

"Race you to the water," I said and we both sprinted across the hot sand, dodging children and sandcastles. As soon as my feet hit the cold water, I instantly jumped back.

"Aren't you gunna jump in?" Jake asked.

"It's too cold! I have to ease—"

_Splash!_

Before I could finish my sentence, Jake had lifted me and tossed me into the chilly water. I was completely stunned, so shocked I couldn't even find my voice to scream out. He then dove in himself and turned over to float on his back. I swam up beside him and joined him in starring up at the puffy white clouds. He laughed to himself.

"What do you see?" I asked.

"I see… I dunno, I see a giraffe I guess. What about you?"

"Well I see a bull chasing a rodeo clown and he's hopping into a barrel."

"What?!" he said, laughing at me. "How in the world can you possibly see that in a cloud?"

"I have a pretty good imagination, I guess. Now come on, you can do better than a giraffe. What do you see up there?"

"Well… I see a girl, a really beautiful girl with these nice green eyes," he said. I scrunched up my eyebrows, trying to see this girl in the clouds.

"But there's no green in the sky," I said. I looked over at him and saw that he was facing me.

"I know," he said with the most charming smile I'd ever seen. I couldn't help but smile back.

* * *

"Rose… Hey, Rosemary."

I felt a gentle tug on my sleeve. I opened my eyes quickly and took a deep breath, rubbing my sleepy eyes.

"You dozed off on the ride back. You're home now," Jake said softly. He was smiling at me again. I blushed. That smile gave me butterflies.

"Oh, sorry I fell asleep. Thanks for taking me out today. I had a real nice time," I told him. I put my hand on the door handle, but I felt his hand on my arm. I looked at him and his face was just inches away from mine.

_Oh god, is he going to kiss me?_

I didn't know what to do. We sat there for a good long minute, our lips inches apart. Just a slight extension of the neck would join our lips together. Just one little movement, but I was frozen. Inside I was terrified and panicking. I looked into Jake's eyes and all I saw was confidence and certainty. I looked back down at his lips and saw them slowly advance forward until they made contact with mine. They stayed there pressed against my lips for a few seconds, and then they pulled back.

"Good night, Rosemary," Jake said smoothly.

I don't know how I made it to my front door, because my legs felt like jelly after that kiss.


End file.
